Hydroponics is gaining popularity as gardeners and commercial growers alike reap the benefits. But, what is hydroponics? What are the benefits? And, how can you get started growing hydroponically?
This article will answer those questions and more.
What is hydroponics?
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in water and without soil.
A hydroponic garden can be as basic as a cup of water on a kitchen counter or as complicated as a massive, fully automated commercial farm.
Arguably the simplest way to grow hydroponically is the Kratky Method. The Kratky Method is passive hydroponics which means the setup doesn’t require any electricity or pumps to operate.
There are six types of hydroponic systems that typically consist of pumps, grow trays, and nutrient reservoirs. These are more complicated than the Kratky Method.
You can grow a variety of plants hydroponically, although leafy greens, such as lettuce and herbs, are the most commonly grown.
Personally, my favorite plants to grow are perennials for year-round color and to supply my backyard with healthy, inexpensive flowers.
If you are looking for inspiration on what to grow, read 10 Plants That Thrive in Hydroponics.
What are the benefits of growing hydroponically?
There are many benefits to growing hydroponically. For example, hydroponic gardens are extremely water efficient.
Did you know hydroponic gardens typically use 80-90% less water than a traditional soil garden? Pretty impressive!
Another benefit of growing hydroponically is the yield per plant or how much of a crop is grown. Yield can be significantly higher with hydroponic systems.
Hydroponic gardens are also less time consuming to maintain, since they don’t require things like weeding and fertilizer application.
Finally, hydroponic gardening can be done year around by growing indoors and controlling temperature, lighting, and water!
These are just some of the benefits of hydroponic gardening. We discuss the many advantages of hydroponics in more detail in our article titled What Are the Benefits of Hydroponics?
How does hydroponics work?
Hydroponic gardening uses a hydroponic system to allow a grower to supply plants with the right environment and nutrients to maximize what plants do best – grow!
The picture above shows one type of hydroponic system. There are six different types of hydroponics systems, but they more or less all function the same:
– The nutrient solution (nutrients + water) sits in a reservoir.
– The plants sit in a grow tray.
– The nutrient solution circulates throughout the hydroponic system to provide nutrients to roots creating a balanced and rich growing environment plants love.
How do you get started with hydroponics?
Follow these simple steps to get started with hydroponics!
1. Get educated. Gardenify.com contains numerous articles and resources to learn about hydroponics. Check out a book at your library. Use e-books through the Libby app.
The Internet contains an endless source of educational material. Watch videos on YouTube. Reddit has great forums on hydroponics for getting help. Just dig in!
2. Acquire a system. You have the option to build or buy a hydroponic garden. Our article on the pros and cons of building vs. buying can help you make the right call for your situation.
For those brand new to hydroponics, try the Kratky Method. Or, if you have a bigger budget, buy a countertop system, like the AeroGarden.
I own two AeroGarden models and have been happy.
3. Grow and experiment. Hydroponic gardening can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.
I recommend you start simple by using a simple setup with easy-to-grow and quick-producing plants, such as lettuce or herbs. These are easy to grow and produce very quickly!
4. Don’t be afraid to fail! Hydroponics creates fast results. You will know quickly if something you are trying isn’t working. Some of my best successes have been trying stuff I never thought would work.
5. Last but not least – HAVE FUN! Gardening of all types should be enjoyable. So, I encourage you to experiment with different methods and plants.
Good luck and happy hydroponics!
Feeling ready to move to the next step? Head over to this article to learn how to choose the right type of hydroponic system for your needs and this article to learn how to avoid common mistakes.
